Solar Energy and its environmental impacts

This presentation focuses on the environmental impacts of solar energy, offering valuable insights for students and anyone interested in renewable energy. Explore how solar power contributes to sustainability, reduces carbon footprints, and shapes our ecological future. Join us to learn about the benefits and challenges of solar energy in promoting a greener planet.

1. and its Impacts By: S A Zamir April, 2019 Kandahar university Engineering faculty Energy engineering

2. Contents Introduction Advantages Disadvantages Environmental impacts 4/19/2019 2

3. The sun provides a tremendous resource for generating clean and sustainable energy without toxic pollution or global warming emissions. Solar radiation o nly for 84 minutes is equal to annually earth’s consumption. The solar energy is renewable and available every where. Introduction 4/19/2019 3

4. Solar energy is the source of all renewable and non renewable energies . Means that wind, hydro, biomass and ocean energies are originally from sun. Introduction cont. … 4/19/2019 4

5. Fossil fuel is made from organic materials which generated by photosynthesis process. Thus the source of all renewable and nonrenewable energies are sun. 4/19/2019 5 Introduction cont. …

6. Solar energy can be changed either direct to electricity by solar PV technology, or can be used as other forms of energy like heat, mechanical and etc…. Introduction cont. … 4/19/2019 6

7. Advantages The solar energy has some advantages and disadvantages due to its usage. The advantages are as follow: Solar power  is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation. Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels. 4/19/2019 7

8. Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, etc. and in turn helps the economy. Advantages cont. … 4/19/2019 8

9. Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid intertied Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home / building Advantages cont. … 4/19/2019 9

10. Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building. Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building. Advantages cont. … 4/19/2019 10

11. Safer than traditional electric current. Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available today will become more efficient tomorrow. Advantages cont. 4/19/2019 11

12. High initial costs for material and installation and long ROI. Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet. No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank. Disadvantages 4/19/2019 12

13. Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive. Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary for the same power generation. Cloudy days do not produce much energy. Disadvantages cont. … 4/19/2019 13

14. Solar powered cars do not have the same speeds and power as typical gas powered cars. Lower production in the winter months. Solar panels are not being massed produced due to lack of material and technology to lower the cost enough to be more affordable. Disadvantages cont. … 4/19/2019 14

15. Environmental impacts Land use Solar intensity and conversion efficiency to electricity is not as high as conventional energy, so solar panel use more land. 4/19/2019 15

16. Estimates for utility-scale PV systems range from 3.5 to 10 acres per Megawatt , while estimates for CSP facilities are between 4 and 16.5 acres per Megawatt . Environmental impacts cont. ... 4/19/2019 16

17. Water Use Solar PV cells do not use water for generating electricity. However, as in all manufacturing processes, some water is used to manufacture solar PV components . Environmental impacts cont. … 4/19/2019 17

18. Concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP), like all thermal electric plants, require water for cooling. Water use depends on the plant design, plant location, and the type of cooling system. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 18

19. CSP plants that use wet-recirculating technology with cooling towers withdraw between 600 and 650 gallons of water per megawatt-hour of electricity produced. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 19

20. Hazardous Materials The PV cell manufacturing process includes a number of hazardous materials, most of which are used to clean and purify the semiconductor. surface. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 20

21. These chemicals, similar to those used in the general semiconductor industry, include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrogen fluoride, trichloroethane , and acetone. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 21

22. Thin-film PV cells contain a number of more toxic materials than those used in traditional silicon photovoltaic cells, including gallium arsenide, copper-indium-gallium- diselenide , and cadmium-telluride. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 22

23. Life-Cycle Global Warming Emissions While there are no global warming emissions associated with generating electricity from solar energy, there are emissions associated with other stages of the solar life-cycle, including manufacturing, materials transportation, installation, maintenance, decommissioning and dismantlement. Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 23

24. Most estimates of life-cycle emissions for photovoltaic systems are between 0.07 and 0.18 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour . Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 24

25. Most estimates for concentrating solar power range from 0.08 to 0.2 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour. In both cases, this is far less than the lifecycle emission rates for natural gas (0.6-2 lbs of CO2/kWh ) and coal (1.4-3.6 lbs of CO2/kWh).   Environmental impacts cont. 4/19/2019 25

26. Thank you!!! 4/19/2019 26

27. Group members Sayed A hmad Zamir Wahidullah Faridullah Hamidullh 4/19/2019 27